- present participle of deteriorate.
deteriorating
Americanadjective
-
becoming worse or inferior in condition, character, quality, value, etc..
A deteriorating house, whatever the cause, will have an adverse effect on your real estate investment.
Officials have warned of a deteriorating security situation in the disputed territory.
-
disintegrating or wearing away.
If what you have underneath is fabric or fiberglass, I’d be concerned that deteriorating paint is letting ultraviolet rays do their worst to your aircraft.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deteriorating
First recorded in 1680–90; deteriorate ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Scientists are still investigating exactly why physical performance begins deteriorating relatively early in adulthood.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
The economics of trucking are deteriorating fast — and it’s particularly bad in California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
The council said human rights in Afghanistan were deteriorating and voiced serious concern about the "grave, worsening, widespread and systematic oppression of all women and girls in Afghanistan by the Taliban".
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
The United Nations has warned that the deteriorating security situation in northern Ethiopia is severely disrupting humanitarian work and has called on all sides to guarantee safe and unhindered access to people in need.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
For the boys still competing for a spot on the freshman crew, the deteriorating weather meant new forms of misery as they labored at their oars aboard Old New.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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